His Baby Deal (The Diamond Club Book 6)

by Elizabeth Lennox

  Carly watched him, amazed at the muscles straining in various places. It was so interesting, that she almost forgot to watch what he was explaining.

  “Got it?” he asked, jumping down from the wall and coming back to her.

  Unfortunately, she didn’t “get” any of him, Carly thought. “Got it,” she replied, adding a nod for confidence. But she wasn’t confident. Not even a little. Perhaps if he wasn’t around, she might be able to shimmy herself up and over that stupid wall, but with him watching, it was going to be an exercise in humiliation.

  “Right. I got this,” she muttered to herself.

  “That’s the right attitude.”

  Carly frowned at him. With grim determination, she glared at the wall, took a few steps back, then raced towards it. Leaping up as far as her trembling legs could go, she…just about reached the top with her hands.

  Carly was just about to drop to the ground when strong arms caught her and lifted her those last couple of inches. She was so surprised by the shocking heat that shot through her that she almost released the wall. But instinct kicked in and she tightened her fingers.

  “Good, now grip the wall with the balls of your feet.”

  Carly tried! She really did! But when he touched her like that, she just…it felt…she wanted to drop down and throw herself into his arms.

  Instead, she just fell.

  Once again, he caught her so she didn’t fall to the ground. When she looked up at him, time stood still. She was in his arms, his hands around her waist and…what would it be like to be kissed by Ryker? Was he passionate? Or soft? Would he try to climb into her mouth? Or was he gentle and sweet? Would his hands touch her with passion? Or would they stay still on her body?

  “Are you okay?”

  Carly jerked backwards, stunned that he was wondering about her health and welfare when she was thinking about kissing him. Sooo not fair!

  “Yes. I’m fine,” she replied, wiping her hands on her butt as she stepped back. “Um…I really want to do this on my own. So…”

  He immediately lifted his hands in the air and stepped back. “It’s all yours, hon.”

  She smiled, or tried to. But when he used those sweet endearments, she wanted to smile like a goofball. And wish that he meant them.

  “Right,” she told herself again. Crouching slightly, she focused only on the wall. “Pretend the wall is Ryker,” she thought. “Pretend you’re going to climb his body. Or pretend that he’s going to take you out on a dinner date with a heated, passionate kiss if you make it over this stupid wall!”

  And then she was off. With a kick of her feet, she leapt up as high as she could, reaching out and catching the top of the wall. “I did it!” she shouted.

  “Great!” he clapped. “Okay, now swing your legs slightly to get your feet where your knees are now.”

  She swung her legs and…shockingly, it worked! The balls of her feet secured to the wall.

  “Excellent. Now shimmy your feet by swinging your hips out, while pulling up with your arms.”

  She followed his instructions, her arms shaking from the strain. It was an inch by inch kind of thing, but slowly, she got her legs higher and higher. Eventually, she was able to tilt her body slightly and hook her ankle over the top of the wall. After that, it was much easier to bring the rest of her body over.

  When she was finally at the top, she sat up and looked around, joy filling her chest. “I did it!” she yelled, her feet swinging out with success. But the feet swinging thing was bad because it threw her off balance and she quickly put her hands back on the wall.

  When she looked down over the other side, Ryker was there, grinning up at her with those crazy, blue eyes of his. “Okay, you did it. Now, come on down.”

  Carly looked at the ground. It was a long way down! “Um…I think I’d like to just…hang out here for a moment.” Especially since her arms were shaking so badly from the climb up that she wasn’t sure she could make it down, at least, not gracefully.

  “Just swing your other leg over, then cantilever your body so that your weight holds you for a moment.”

  She bit her lower lip, contemplating that maneuver. “Really. I’m fine right here for a few moments.”

  He moved closer and she could see the amusement in his eyes. “Carly, the wood is going to start hurting in uncomfortable places. Why don’t you just swing your other leg over and I’ll grab you to help you down?”

  As soon as he said it, Carly realized that the wood was biting into her groin. “Ouch!” she hissed. “Okay, coming down.”

  Slowly, she swung her leg over to the other side and leaned forward, intending to drop herself down to the other side inch by inch. But as soon as both of her legs were over, she felt those strong hands griping her thighs and…well, the rest was inevitable. His touch was distracting and her arms gave out. Instead of coming down in a graceful, athletic glide, she tumbled over and it was only his strong hands gripping her legs, then her butt, that saved her from falling.

  How many times was he going to have to save her?

  She didn’t have time to answer, since he spun her around, lowering her slowly to the ground, inch by inch just as she’d intended. But she hadn’t anticipated sliding along his hard body every inch of the way.

  Burning. Heat! White-hot heat sizzled through her vein her. When her face was even with his own, she could barely breathe.

  He didn’t lower her any further. For a long moment, she hung there, his hands wrapped around her legs right under her butt. Carly’s arms tightened automatically around his neck and she couldn’t stop her legs from lifting, wrapping around his waist.

  Suddenly, the wooden wall pressed against her back with Ryker pressed against her chest. His breathing was just as labored as hers as they stared at one another from an inch apart. It was shocking to feel him against her and Carly couldn’t stop her hands from reaching out, cupping the back of his neck. The next thing she knew, she was kissing him. And he kissed her back!

  Passionate! That’s the way Ryker kissed! His lips devoured hers, his tongue caressing her lips, demanding entry. And when she opened her mouth, his hands shifted, exploring her body, grinding his hips against hers. For too many years, she’d fantasized about this, wondered what it would be like to kiss him and finding out was better than she could have anticipated!

  Over and over, their lips pressed, teased. When he lifted his head up for even a fraction of a second, she whimpered with need. It was too much and not nearly enough! More! She needed more and angled her head and her body, pressing herself…

  Oh my gosh! This was Ryker! What was she doing?!

  “I’m sorry!” she gasped when he lifted his head again. Shifting against him, she shimmied down from his arms and stumbled away from him. “Ryker! I’m so so sorry!” she gasped, pushing her hair out of her eyes. How had her hair gotten loose? She’d…it didn’t matter.

  Pressing her fingers against her lips, she glanced down at the ground, at the wall, the trees…anywhere but at Ryker. Good grief, he must think she was an idiot!

  “I’m so sorry. Please…,” she backed up a few steps. “Please don’t tell Oz or Jayce about this. They’d be furious that I...I’m sorry.”

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